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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23438083">War of Hearts</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JooniesWinterFlower/pseuds/JooniesWinterFlower'>JooniesWinterFlower</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/JooniesWinterFlower/pseuds/Kingslayer-Angel'>Kingslayer-Angel (JooniesWinterFlower)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiottBliss/pseuds/RiottBliss'>RiottBliss</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>All Elite Wrestling, Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Depression, Drama &amp; Romance, F/M, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Mixed Martial Arts, Self-Harm</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 05:42:38</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,470</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23438083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/JooniesWinterFlower/pseuds/JooniesWinterFlower, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JooniesWinterFlower/pseuds/Kingslayer-Angel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiottBliss/pseuds/RiottBliss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Seth Rollins was once known as the Bad Boy Prince of MMA, now years after a career ending knee injury he's stepping into.the Octagon again not as a competitor but as his little sister's coach. </p><p>Unfortunately for him the pretty redhead across the ring from he and Paige is not only the girl he just had a one night stand with, but the protege of the man who ended his career...Finn Balor.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Becky Lynch | Rebecca Knox/Seth Rollins | Tyler Black, Finn Balor | Prince Devitt/Original Female Character(s), Seth Rollins | Tyler Black/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong><em>Goodbyes are, for me, a tear</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>Without even knowing, it blooms around my eyes</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>The words that I could not bring myself to say flow down</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>And lingering regret crawls over my face</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>To me, you were once my dear</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>But now you’re merely a bitter beer</em> </strong>
  <br/>
  <strong> <em>My heart that’s stained with belated self-loathing</em> </strong>
</p><p>- Tear by BTS</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hunter Hearst Helmsley, or professionally known by Triple-H sighed with embarrassment, reading tweet after tweet from his youngest son Seth Rollins.</p><p> </p><p> "What happened to him?" His best friend and practically brother Shawn Michaels asked, looking over his shoulder. </p><p> </p><p>"Cody took him out of the press conference, Seth's hungover, blaming everyone but himself"</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Shawn shook his head, "Kid is letting the hype go to his brain. He's all over TMZ, The Bad Boy Prince of MMA is what they call him"</p><p> </p><p> "Seth is the best fighter in the world in his division. He's earned the cockiness but his lifestyle…." Hunter shook his head</p><p> </p><p>Shawn made a disgusted sound. "Kid reminds me of me before I got my act together"</p><p> </p><p>"Fatherhood is what made you get your act together. That won't work for Seth" Hunter clicked on a video of his drunken son yelling into a camera about Finn Balor that had gone viral last week.</p><p> </p><p>"He talks so much shit about Balor being a low rent MacGregor, hell Seth acts more like Conor then Finn does."</p><p> </p><p>Hunter sighed "He's turned this into a complete mess, I wouldn't be surprised if his team drops him."</p><p> </p><p> "Hey, Dusty loved that kid, Dustin and Cody wouldn't release him until he stopped making them money"</p><p>Hunter nodded but looked nonetheless unthrilled.</p><p> </p><p> "He keeps making excuses about everything. I'm this close to calling Steph"</p><p> </p><p>Shawn nodded with agreement as the two entered Seth's penthouse, greeting a tired looking Cody Rhodes. "I can't do this anymore Hunter" he said in place of a normal greeting.</p><p> </p><p> "You are not dropping him" Hunter said matter of factly.</p><p> </p><p> "AEF is supposed to be for fighters that respect the sport, he fucks around and doesn't even show up to the gym" Cody said.</p><p> </p><p>Hunter ignored him and went upstairs to where he could hear his youngest groaning in misery.</p><p> </p><p> Hunter sighed as Seth looked up from the toilet he was practically hugging. "I'm twenty five, perfectly legal" he muttered, Hunter's gaze looking at the black and gold championship that laid discarded.</p><p> </p><p>"While ago you would have treated that with respect" He said, Seth rolling his eyes. "Would you rather me puke on it? It's just a fucking belt' "</p><p>"Don't let anyone hear you say that" Hunter said lowly. "You're going to the weigh in today even if I have to drag you by your hair there myself" </p><p>"No the fuck I'm not, don't you see me dyin' here?" Seth whined "I'm going to fucking sleep"</p><p> </p><p>"What the fuck happened to you?!" Hunter yells "Every since your Uncle Shane became your manager this is what you've turned into." </p><p> </p><p>Seth looked unfazed. "Don't get angry because I'm better than you ever were" and shoved his father out of his way, flipping off Cody, and ignoring Shawn.</p><p> </p><p> "What am I going to do with him?" Hunter sighed, exhausted.</p><p> </p><p>"Knock his ass out?" Shawn suggested. "I'll take care of him" Cody rolled his eyes. "Britt and I will make sure he gets to the weigh in. I just need painkillers and food" </p><p> </p><p>"I'm gonna go talk to Shane, I want to know what kind of garbage he's been filling my kid's head with" Hunter mutters</p><p> </p><p>"I told you listening to Vince was a mistake." Shawn replies shaking his head "All of you let Vince snow you into thinking it was embarrassing that his mother managed him"</p><p> </p><p>Hunter sighed. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to drag Steph back, Shane has a tight grip on him"</p><p> </p><p> "Worry about that fuckface later" Shawn said. "Seth needs you, not him" Hunter nodded firmly, making his way downstairs to see Seth passed out on his couch, his dog Kevin and cat Daryl laying on him.</p><p> </p><p>"This was our compromise" Cody explained. "I let him take a nap, he goes to the weigh in later"</p><p> </p><p> "He isn't going to beat Balor in this condition. He doesn't spar anymore and his knee has been inflamed for weeks" Britt says quietly</p><p> </p><p>"He shouldn't even be fighting. We told Shane but he says there's too much money at stake for Seth to pull out"</p><p> "Money money money"' Shawn mocked. "All he cares about is fucking printed paper"</p><p> </p><p>Hunter ignored them and instead chose to brush back some of Seth's hair, his son unconsiously responding to it. "What did I do wrong raising him?" he asked. Hunter rolls his eyes at the look his older brother gave him "The truth" he says quietly</p><p> </p><p>"No offense bro, but this family is a whole fucking lot to live up to and you weren't exactly shy about your expectations once Seth showed an aptitude for the sport. None of us were. I have to even ask myself, when was the last time any of us actually had a conversation with the kid that wasn't about fighting?"</p><p> </p><p>"He's cracking underneath the pressure" Cody chimes in</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, he is and now Shane is filling his head with all these ideas about the image he should project" Shawn continues "Quiet guys who, play with their dogs and write poetry when their not in the Octagon don't sell tickets, but Bad Boys sure the fuck do."</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>*Later*</p><p> </p><p>Seth scowled at his phone as Britt ushered him into the arena the weigh was taking place in. "I'm assuming you told the press he was gonna bail?" Cody growled at Shane who held his hands up. "They were gonna find out sooner or later" "Yeah yeah, no press is bad press" Seth said.</p><p> </p><p>"Except the press says you're an asshole" Cody deadpanned. "Don't do anything stupid up there, or Mark is going to have a stroke" Seth didn't respond, instead heading up the stairs to the stage, where Balor had clearly made weight, despite being skinny. Seth took off his shirt per usual, standing on the scale. </p><p> </p><p>"197 pounds" The announcer said, Seth smirking at Balor. The Irish man looked unfazed and rolled his eyes. Seth, in a act of annoyance, promptly flipped him off, hearing everyone in the crowd either laugh or groan</p><p> </p><p>-Backstage -</p><p> </p><p>"Gonna be fun beating your ass Balor, I promise not to hurt you too badly," Seth says cockily, slouching in a chair and putting his sunglasses back on. </p><p>"Oh, Rolly its almost time to give up your precious" Finn responds, "Clock is ticking boyo and your time is almost up"</p><p>"Mon roi, nous devons-oh shit" a pake woman walked up, speaking rapid French and stopping in her place when she saw Seth. </p><p> </p><p>"Hey Seth" she said coldly.</p><p> </p><p>"Vi" Seth responded, his attitude gone.</p><p>"He your king now?" "Surprised you even remember any French, from what I read, you've drank yourself through everything"</p><p> </p><p> "It's what happens when you give your heart to someone and get it ripped in half, I wasn't enough for you, that's what you said right? I wasn't straight enough for you?! So you threw my ring in my face and left" Seth yelled "Cause Bisexual people, we're all cheaters didn't you know?" At least according to Violet Gillath, wait I'm sorry Violet Balor now isn't it?."</p><p> </p><p>"Stop it" Finn growled. "Before I knock your ass out now" </p><p>"Try it bitch" Seth snarled back. </p><p> </p><p>Violet got between them and shoved Seth back. "Chaton, stop" she hissed. </p><p> </p><p>Seth stumbled upon hearing his old nickname. "Why?" he choked out. "What did I do?"</p><p> </p><p>Seth shook his head as if to shake his thoughts into place "Why Violet? Why did you leave me? You...you fucking broke me" he said in a small voice "I have the right to know why, just tell me. Why would you do that after everything. I was going to quit fighting for you because you didn't like seeing what it was turning me into. You get up on stage and you still sing my songs, but you said you hated me. I just wanna know."</p><p> </p><p>Violet crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "I didn't want to be with you. You never signed anything so legally those songs are mine. I said what I meant, you weren't enough" </p><p> </p><p>Seth looked like she had rebroken his heart. </p><p> </p><p>Thankfully Britt walked in. "Hey, we gotta go" </p><p> </p><p>Seth grabbed his title and held it to Finn. "This is mine. You can keep that bitch but you will never get this"</p><p> </p><p>-Backstage-</p><p> </p><p>"I've never known you to be biphobic, wanna explain to me why Rollins is convinced you are?" Finn said sitting down in his locker room with his wife a few minutes later. </p><p> </p><p>"His uncle...manager, that bastard Shane got me my record deal in exchange for breaking Seth's heart" Violet told her husband "Seth hates fighting, he was going to quit and go on the road with me. He can't sing a note but he writes and plays guitar. We were going to be a duo. Shane was watching his cash cow walk out the door. So he threatened me and made an offer. Seth was the sweetest thing and he loved me and I broke his heart and let Shane turn him into that"</p><p> </p><p>"If I could go back in time and slap him across the face I would but I can't" Violet said brokenly. "Shane has made it perfectly clear that if I ever tell him that he would ruin both our careers"</p><p> </p><p> Finn hugged her to him. "I'm still gonna kick his ass" Violet slapped his arm. "Please try not to" Finn shrugged. "I'm undefeated"</p><p> </p><p> "You know Seth is too. And the thing with being undefeated is that there's only one way down, being kicked off the mountain" </p><p> </p><p>-Next Day- </p><p> </p><p>Seth was throwing up again having had drank himself to sleep following his encounter with his ex.</p><p> </p><p> Cody looked extremely tired and Britt concerned. "You have to fight in an hour!" Cody yelled out</p><p> </p><p>"I don't fucking care." Seth yelled back "I don't even want to fucking fight." He muttered to himself, as he rubbed at his knee. "Come on fucking give already." He whispered to the inflamed appendage. </p><p> </p><p>He knew what he was doing was dangerous but it was his only way out. If his knee would just give up the fucking ghost, he could quit this bullshit once and for all.</p><p> </p><p>"Your sisters are out there tonight" Britt said, walking in, holding a brace.</p><p> </p><p> "I really don't care" Seth growled, letting Britt put his knee in it.</p><p> </p><p> "And your mom' Britt added. Seth took a breath when Britt touched his knee.</p><p> </p><p> "Holy shit, it feels like its burning" <span class="u"></span><strike></strike></p><p> </p><p>"We're letting you go after tonight" Cody said angrily. "I don't care if you win or not, you've ruined All Elite Fighting's reputation" </p><p> </p><p>"I don't care, I never wanted to be in your shitty gym anyway" Seth shrugged. "I'm going to get changed"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Two years after the injury that ended his MMA career. Seth starts down a new path.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Two Years Later</p><p>"You're terrible" Seth deadpanned standing over his youngest sister.</p><p> "Oh fuck off" Paige responded with a cheeky grin.</p><p> "If you can't reverse someone grabbing you from behind, they can pull you down and get you in a chokehold, your options then are to tap out or pass out" Seth tells her demonstrating the hold he was teaching her to escape from</p><p>"Then I should...elbow them in the face" She says with a smirk, sticking out her tongue when Seth motions for her to continue. "That would earn you a DQ and a hefty fine…next idea brat."</p><p>"Or back up until they're against the cage" she says in an equally deadpan tone</p><p> "There you go. Let's test that"</p><p>"He seems happier then he's been in a while" Hunter says to Shawn as the brothers watch the siblings bicker good naturedly as they train. </p><p>"Being away from the sport has been good for him" Shawn replies. "He drinks less, he's happy running his little coffeeshop in Iowa of all places, he doesn't get into trouble anymore and Lord knows he's nicer. It's almost like our boy came back from the dead. Honestly, I'm surprised he even agreed to coach her."</p><p>"She went to his house and demanded he come and coach her a few weeks after she and Sonya got together. They're already dating and might have to face each other in this tournament. It was too much of a conflict of interest for Heavy Machinery to coach them both. Steph's gonna take over for Amanda as far as management duties and Ruby will be taking Tucker's place as her trainer. </p><p>"Didja see Ric's kid is gonna be in this?" Shawn asked.</p><p> "Charlotte?" Hunter asked back shocked. </p><p>"Hmm, something about wanting to prove she can fight" Shawn shrugged, watching as Seth dodged Paige's elbows and laughing.</p><p>"You keep hesitating kiddo!" Hunter yelled</p><p>"Excuse me I don't want to break Seth's pretty face now that it's all healed up again. He's already got what Styles left him with." </p><p>"Please don't" Seth laughed "But also come on you've got this. We have a title to win"</p><p> </p><p><br/>Later that night </p><p>After spending most of the day in the cage with Paige Seth headed to the hotel bar for a drink. While he didn't drink nearly as much as he did during his bout with being an achaolic it was still his preferred way to wind down after a hard day.</p><p>He saw that the tv was playing highlights from the recent UFC show. Aside from Balor's successful defense of his title, nothing really stood out besides the replay of the big announcement of a women's division tournament to crown a new Women's champion after the former champion Ronda Rousey walked out on the division earlier that year.  </p><p>"That's really cool" the bartender, AJ Lee, said. </p><p>"You gonna try out?" Seth downed a shot. "Oh hell no. I just think it's about time girls other then Rousey's dumbass got a chance to shine" Seth raised his empty glass at her as someone took a sit next to him.</p><p>"Can I get Guinness please and thank you" an Irish accented voice asked AJ.</p><p>"Gotcha, Red" AJ replied and walked off leaving Seth to turn and stare at the beautiful woman with orange-red hair who'd taken a seat next to him.</p><p>"Irish and ordering a Guinness? You're fitting a stereotype" Seth said. "Not to mention the hair" </p><p>Red tilted her head slightly and said "Might be cliché, but I don't do well with change" Seth snorted. "I'm Becky" Red introduced herself</p><p>"Tyler." Seth used his middle name automatically. The redhead didn't look like she recognized him but he wanted to be sure...his days of sleeping with groupies was long behind him. </p><p>"No offense but you don't look like a Tyler" Becky giggled, Seth smiling slightly. "You here for the tournament?"</p><p> "You could say that" Becky says slyly.</p><p> </p><p><br/>Becky woke up with her head killing her, a tanned arm wrapped around her waist. 'Oh god' she recgonized her bed partner, the scars above his eyebrow giving it away, now that she was fully sober She'd had sex with Seth fucking Rollins. The bad boy of MMA. Her sister in laws' ex. The guy who's knee was unintentionally caved in by her brother. Part of her wanted to grab her stuff and leave but another part noted how...young he looked sleeping.</p><p>Seth must have felt her eyes on him because he almost immediately streached and blinked sleepy brown eyes at her "Mornin' sweetheart" </p><p>"Good...morning uh Seth?" Becky replied blushing </p><p>Seth groaned "Oh you recognize me now huh?"</p><p>"The eyebrow scar kinda gave it away, when AJ Styles hit you until you started bleeding...and the fact that you have that back tattoo" Becky replied, blushing further.</p><p> Seth chuckled, reaching up to touch the scar. "I'm surprised you remember that happened. That was my first win"</p><p>Becky didn't know what to do. Finn and Violet had always said Seth was a spoiled asshole, and that was the image she'd seen him project more often then not. But the man cuddling with her right now seemed...almost bashful?</p><p>"I've seen all your fights actually..." She responded, her blush deepening even further.</p><p>"Happy to meet a fan" Seth winked. "So you've seen all twenty eight of them?"</p><p> Huh, he even acknowledged his one loss. Becky absently thought to herself </p><p>"I barely missed any live" she admitted, blushing so much she was sure it was approching the color of her hair. "I'm looking forward to the next one" </p><p>Seth looked down. "I'm afraid to tell you this but I'm retired" He looked up at Becky who looked concerned. "Retore my ACL, tore my MCL and tore my meniscus in my last fight with Finn Balor. I'll never fight again"</p><p>"I hadn't heard that. I'm sorry" Becky said sadly, wondering if Finn knew he'd ended Seth's career completely not just derailed it like they'd thought</p><p>"We haven't made an official announcement yet, but I'm done." Seth sighed. "To be honest I lost my love of the sport years ago. I'm only around now because my little sister is in the upcoming tourney to crown a new champ since Rousey walked out and she needed a coach"</p><p>'Finn mentioned that' Becky thought to herself. Seth laid back down, sighing. "I had fun. Can't remember the last time I had sex to be honest" he laughed</p><p>"No offense but I was under the impression that you had no shortage of…company." Becky said bluntly </p><p>"Because that's what you and everyone else was supposed to think." Seth said getting up and stretching, unashamed of his naked body. </p><p>Becky's mouth went dry at the sight of Seth's leanly muscled, tanned body and got her first full look at the burning wings tattoo that'd earned him the name Phoenix in the cage. Seth had earned the moniker due to his ability of being able to come back from the most brutal beatings and still win.</p><p>"Like what you see?" Seth teased, Becky walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, his own reaching up to grab her's. He really wasn't what everyone else made him out to be, he was confident obviously but seemingly shy and reserved. "I have to leave soon" Becky said. Seth frowned but nodded grabbing a piece of paper and writing something on it. "My number,  stay in touch with me, please?" Becky nodded, taking it, Seth kissing her hand, before Becky quickly got dressed and left with a final kiss to Seth's cheek.</p><p>-Later That Morning- </p><p>"Why are you so tired lass?" Becky's older brother said from the sidelines as he watched her spar with her younger brother Jordan. "You were supposed to go straight to bed after your beer." </p><p>"She got a different kind of workout" Jordan jibed as he ducked his sister's punch. "Caught her doing the walk of shame this morning" </p><p>"Ha ha" Becky replied. "It's none of your business Devvie" Jordan scowled and got caught with a punch from Becky. "Never get distracted. Shayna Baszler's in this tournament and is a fan favorite" Finn said.</p><p> "Yeah yeah. Why don't you focus on your defense against Styles? He hasn't had that title in years" Becky smirked, unfazed by her brothers glare. </p><p>"As far as I'm concerned there was no champion before Finn got it" Jordan laughed distracting him from his sister long enough for Becky to take him down</p><p> "Have some respect. Seth Rollins was undefeated." She spat </p><p>"Son of a bitch" Jordan exclaimed "I forgot you had a crush on that asshole" </p><p>"It has nothing to do with that. I'm not saying Finn wouldn't have beat him anyway but it wasn't even a real fight because his knee gave out."</p><p>"Still hopelessly in love with her precious Phoenix eh, Becks?" Jordan teased. Becky released the hold and shoved Jordan to the ground, grabbing his right arm and pulling it up like a reverse armbar. "Holy shit!" Jordan yelled, tapping the mat.</p><p>Becky laughed, releasing the submission hold and jumping up. "You almost ripped my arm out" Jordan said, looking less mad and more impressed.</p><p> "I call that the Dis-Arm-Her" Becky grinned widely.</p><p> "I could've sworn Rollins used something like that" Finn muttered, Becky hiding her face. Ok, maybe she was infatuated with him beyond belief.</p><p> "We gotta go, weigh ins are in thirty minutes. You'll know your other opponents then. We only know about Charlotte and Baszler" Becky growled at the mention of her former friend. </p><p>"Have you decided on a nickname?" Jordan asked. 'The Man' Becky thought, but that been one of Seth's nicknames and she really didn't want her brothers to put two and two together. "The Irish Lasskicker"</p>
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